Bunny Yeager's Darkroom: Pin-up Photography's Golden Era

Author Petra Mason, Foreword by Dita Von Teese

A treasure trove of pin-up girl images from photographer Bunny Yeager, celebrated for her playfully erotic photos of Bettie Page that continue to influence photography and fashion today. The only woman pin-up photographer of her day, Bunny Yeager was also a model in her own right. After winning several beauty pageants in Miami, Yeager went to photography school, and in 1955, she hit the jackpot with her shot of Bettie Page scantily clad in a Santa hat, which sold instantly to the fledgling Playboy magazine. The beginning of a long collaboration, her photographs of Bettie have now been featured on more magazine covers than those of Marilyn Monroe. This glamorous volume gathers more than a hundred lens-fogging photographs embodying the naughty girl-next-door eroticism of pin-up culture. Culled from Yeager’s extensive archive, the collection includes her most iconic shots of the legendary Bettie as well as many previously unpublished images. Yeager’s pioneering self-portraits and excerpts from her charming 1960s how-to manuals are featured alongside dozens of wholesome beauties shot in the studio and on location. A fun and sexy book, it is sure to tap into the current burlesque trend and the popularity of glamour photography and vintage American culture.

About The Author

Petra Mason is a cultural historian and creative director whose East Coast-centric book credits include: Last Train to Paradise: Centennial edition, South Beach Stories, The Carlyle, In the Spirit of Miami Beach and New York. Photographic installations include: The Glass House Icon Project.

Publish Date: September 11, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Category: Photography - Individual Photographers - General
Publisher: Rizzoli
Trim Size: 9 x 11
Pages: 256
US Price: $60.00
CDN Price: $65.00
ISBN: 978-0-8478-3855-4

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Reviews

"Bunny Yeager's Darkroom from Rizzoli documents the photographer's dynamic career guided by the artist herself....In all Yeager's photos, you get a pure sense the fun and excitement. The scenes she created are always glamorous but also quite endearing— sexy, fun and intriguing but with a sense of ease that makes them universally irresistible." –Coolhunting.com

“You Have To Own…Bunny Yeager’s Darkroom, a seductive look at the 50-year career of Bunny Yeager, from pin-up model to photographer and designer. She was never bound by a style; she experimented with lighting, depth of field, and story telling seamlessly. Creatively, and perhaps courageously, this is how she made a name for herself in an industry overflowing with men, and almost explicitly for men: the world of pin-up photos. What’s better is that on top of being a photographer Bunny Yeager was also a talented writer, and her essays and instructions on photography are included. With old-fashioned courtesy and the patient grammatical correctness of a school teacher, Bunny’s musings on how to take photos come across as a motivational speech to love yourself, or at least work with what you’ve been given.” –American Standard Time

"...drops you right behind the camera and features over 100 photos for you to drool over." –Coolmaterial.com

"Legendary for her brilliance in capturing the essential sexuality of women, Yeager’s models, including the equally famed Bettie Page, fill the pages..." –Sun Post

“...includes many images from the longtime Miami resident's personal archive, including iconic shots of the legendary Bettie Page and many previously unpublished images. And she hasn't stopped creating" –southflorida.com

"Bunny Yeager's Darkroom is about master photographer and pioneer Bunny Yeager, but it also happens to be the best book ever published about Bettie Page and the best collection of original photographs ever seen of the model. If you are one of the millions interested in Bettie Page, buy this book." –Vintage Sleaze

"...a new collection of more than 250 photographs curated by author and cultural historian Petra Mason that includes iconic shots of Bettie Page, whom Yeager is credited with discovering, and many previously unpublished images including Yeager self-portraits." –Huffington Post

"This book of classic pin-up photos is the ideal gift" –Baltimore City Paper

"....glimpse into the icons and outtakes of pin-up photography’s golden era, including chapters on Yaeger’s early self-portraits, classic American cheesecake and, of course, star subject Bettie Page." –National Post

"...utterly evocative of its time, and rather innocent.." –Palm Beach Post

Author Bookshelf: Petra Mason